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Two movements have always stood in the way of the Ghadir movement that diverted society from its primary path that led to its guidance and happiness:
Promoters of Takfir
The supporters of this movement have sought and are seeking to transform the Ghadir cause into a mere Shiite cause. However, “Al-Ghadir is an Islamic issue; it is not just a Shiite issue in the history of Islam. The Noble Prophet delivered a specific sermon and performed a specific action. This act and sermon have multiple dimensions that contain a specific lesson and meaning. We cannot say that only Shiites benefit from the event of Ghadir and its sermon and that other Muslims do not benefit from this rich content that is present in the folds of this noble prophetic sermon, which is not limited to a specific stage. They resorted to sowing discord and conflict among Islamic sects by publishing differential and anti-unity interpretations and analyses of this event.”
Supporters of Secular Islam
The second movement opposing Ghadir is the preachers of secular Islam who (through individualist interpretations that are limited to performing religious rituals and duties) marginalized and even rejected the Ghadir incident and kept religion away from interfering in the public sphere and governmental issues. However, the Ghadir event is a response to the claim of this false movement.
“Those people who sought to separate Islam from social and political issues and tried to limit Islam to personal issues and matters related to the lives of individuals viewed Islam from a secular perspective. The enemy’s media have also sought to promote this vision among Muslims throughout history. The event of Ghadir is the answer and response to those people. The Noble Prophet, may God’s prayers and peace be upon him and his family, is in that sensitive position, and in the last months of his life, based on divine teachings and divine commissions, explained a fundamentally important issue, which is discussing the issue of government after the time of the Prophet.
Islam Advocates Realization of Divine Rulings
This is while previously, “Islam has proven through its establishment of the government in Medina and the formation of the prophetic civil society that Islam is not limited to advice, exhortation, and linguistic advocacy. Islam wants the realities of divine rulings to be realized in society.”
This claim by supporters of secular Islam comes in light of “the fact that the world’s most secular governments, despite all that they claim – whether they are informed or not – hold between their hands the world and the hereafter…the bodies and souls of the people are at their disposal.”
That is why: “The Commander of the Faithful, Ali (peace be upon him) said: “If you obey me, then I will carry you, God willing, on the path to Paradise.” This is the goal of the Imam, the Commander of the Faithful, peace be upon him: to bring people to Heaven, whether on the intellectual level (of the people), on their spiritual level, or the level of their social life.”
Should We Take People to Heaven?
“I stress this point because it is sometimes heard, here and there, when there is talk of guidance and supervision and the speech of the truths of religion and so on, who says: Sir, is it our duty to take people to Heaven? Yes, yes, it is. This is the difference between the Islamic ruler and other rulers. The discourse here is not about arbitrariness, pressure, and coercion but rather about help. Human instinct is inclined to happiness, and we must pave the way and make things easier for people to lead themselves to Heaven. This is our duty.
Al-Ghadir conveys two important messages to the Islamic nation in the face of these two deviations. First, it is the only factor leading to the unity of the Islamic community. Second, it conveys political Islam in the face of the secularists. For this reason, the name ‘The Greatest Eid of Allah‘ was given to Eid al-Ghadir among all religious occasions and holidays.” Why? Because the responsibility of the Islamic Ummah in terms of guidance and government was declared and assigned in the Ghadir Event.
Excerpts from speeches by Imam Khamenei